I'm Moving...Need some advice

djbetterly · 10/12/2012, 05:42 AM

Hello,

So I'm moving in about three weeks and need some advice on moving my tank.

I have a 34G Solana with a 5in DSB. The whole tank was started in February.

My livestock list is as follows:

Blue Spot Jawfish
Two oscellaris clowns
Yellow wrasse
Two firefish
yasha haze goby
one cleaner shrimp
three peppermint shrimp
large CUC

Two large duncans (multi-heads each)
green torch (multi-heads)
gold torch
Acan echinata
multiple zoa's
one lobo
one piece of sps (just aquired two weeks ago)

If anyone knows of any great guides that would be awesome! If you want to take the time to put a step by step that would be great too, but I understand that is a tall order.

I'm only moving about 25 blocks here in manhattan so its not a huge move but it is a move none the less.

I spoke with my LFS and they quoted me a very hefty price to do this move. Basically I could buy a new, larger tank for that price and I'd prefer not to do so.

I'm ranting now...Thank you in advance.

bluewater921 · 10/12/2012, 05:51 AM

if you can get some tubs or clean trash cans and put your water from the tank in there bag up your fish and corals but try to save about 80% of your water .. i would put my rock in the tubs or cans with your water .. leave the sand bed in the tank for the move .. your tank is not that big for a move like this .. leave your clean up crew in the tank if you can they will be fine .. they will think its low tide .. your fish and corals bagged up will last about 7 hours 24 if you air them up .. once you get set back up it would be like your doing a 20% water change ... then in 1 week do another water change you should be fine on the move GL ..

djbetterly · 10/12/2012, 05:59 AM

Well that sounds so easy on paper, but I fear its not so easy. Right now my live rock is resting on the glass, with the DSB surrounding the rock. If I remove the rock I'll disturb the sand bed. From everything I've read, disturbing a DSB is a huge no-no. Dealing with the DSB is probably my biggest concern. I've read everything from what is stated above, to saving only the top layer and replacing the deepest portions, to starting from scratch with an entirely new DSB.

If I keep any of the DSB I'll probably have to run a diatom filter and possibly add some dénitrifying bacteria to prevent a huge ammonia spike. Just my thoughts so far...

Electrobes · 10/12/2012, 09:33 AM

I just moved my 40Br from SC to FL (12 hours in the car). Not one death either! (w00t w00t!) I used new 5G buckets, and each had air bubblers (The emergency type). They did very well. Here are some differences between you and I...

- I had a very shallow sandbed, and when I moved.. it's only there for decoration.. 20lbs in a 40Br, for perspective. If you keep your sandbed.. I would honestly do one of two things:

1) Remove all the livestock, water, etc.. and move the sand with the tank. This may end up being too heavy for you, or may put too much stress on a tank.

2) Remove the sand, and start fresh.. wash it out and place back into the tank. This is super not fun, but it's, to me, a safer alternative from recycling the tank too much, or if you have the sulfur zones that may leech out.

- My rocks were structures... not loose rock. I am guessing you haven't studded, or cemented your rocks together? This makes it much harder for you to remember how it all goes together... in essence you'll have to re-aquascape. You might consider taking the chance now to make some structures... it makes like a lot easier and you can really get some fun shapes going!

cody6766 · 10/12/2012, 09:45 AM

toss livestock into a few buckets or larger bowls, separated by those that can touch and those that can't. save a much water as you can. Put your rock in a bucket and fill it with tank water. That's the easy stuf

The sandbed will take some work. I'd be hesitant to try to move the tank with the sand in the bottom. As mentioned above, it may be too much weight and it will get disturbed. You can siphon it out and wash it, dry it and reuse it or you can just start with new dry sand after the move. I've used washed and dried sand in the past with no issues, but it took forever to get it cleaned and ready.

LeslieP · 10/12/2012, 09:48 AM

I just moved to a new house and put everything from the old 55g tank into a baby pool as a temporary home. First I set up the pool with some new salt water. I then bagged up the corals with lots of water and put them in buckets. I also moved the rocks in buckets, again with lots of the old tank water. These all moved to the baby pool. Then I drained out the rest of the water and pulled out the sand bed - nasty stuff, it was 12 yrs old! I'm going to start new with a shallow sand bed, but I suppose that you could wash out your sand and then set it up in the tank while your inhabitants are in the baby pool. Then move in your rock and finally your corals and fish once you are sure you didn't induce another cycle

I didn't lose any fish and most of my corals made it through just fine. I did lose some SPS (it actually looks like some are coming back!) but I didn't have a light on the pool and it took me a couple of weeks to get everybody back in the tank. You may want to think about taking a few frags of your more sensitive/favorite corals to a friend that you trust. I brought a bunch of stuff to my work nano so I wasn't worried about losing too much. Good luck!

skykingcory · 10/12/2012, 11:24 AM

I did a move a few years ago with a 75 gal. Stirring up the sandbed knocked my tank on it's butt for a few months but pulled through with everything surviving. I would just try to keep stirring it to a minimum and reuse your old water. The water temp will drop pretty quickly by the time you take everything down too, so try to keep that in mind also.

jjk82901 · 10/12/2012, 11:43 AM

Just buy some live sand from a LFS when you're ready to setup again or cycle rinsed sand in a bucket and go barebottom for a week or two. Just check Nitrates and Ammonium prior to putting sand back in tank. 5 gallon painters buckets work great for moving.

swcc · 10/12/2012, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djbetterly

Well that sounds so easy on paper, but I fear its not so easy. Right now my live rock is resting on the glass, with the DSB surrounding the rock. If I remove the rock I'll disturb the sand bed. From everything I've read, disturbing a DSB is a huge no-no. Dealing with the DSB is probably my biggest concern. I've read everything from what is stated above, to saving only the top layer and replacing the deepest portions, to starting from scratch with an entirely new DSB.

If I keep any of the DSB I'll probably have to run a diatom filter and possibly add some dénitrifying bacteria to prevent a huge ammonia spike. Just my thoughts so far...

remove livestock into movement containers.. Then remove rocks into movement containers...then drain water and chuck substrate.
When at new location set up tank. water first, then rock aquascape then new substrate then livestock.. this is a good time to do a shallow substrate vs dsb.... If you believe that putting something in your tank that can destroy the tank if messed with is a good Ideal....well...

SLOW1 · 10/13/2012, 12:13 AM

I have to add, make sure you have extra salt water on hand. I had to scramble to fine an extra 20 gallons at the last second.
When I moved a few years ago I made up 50 gallons of new water. My system is about 110 total.
I broke everything down. Coral, fish, and live rock in 4 different 20gal rubber made containers. Loaded that and everything in the bed of the truck. Off we went to the new place about 20 mins away.
Fish and coral stayed in the buckets with heaters and powerheads for 3 days while the small sand storm in the tank went down. Put everything back in. Didn't lose any fish or coral. My bubble tip anemone wasn't very happy so he split and now I have two of them that sit right next to each other. One for each clow fish.

Good luck with the move. Get friends to help and take the amout of time you think you need and double it.

10/12/2012, 05:42 AM	#1
djbetterly Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 284	I'm Moving...Need some advice Hello, So I'm moving in about three weeks and need some advice on moving my tank. I have a 34G Solana with a 5in DSB. The whole tank was started in February. My livestock list is as follows: Blue Spot Jawfish Two oscellaris clowns Yellow wrasse Two firefish yasha haze goby one cleaner shrimp three peppermint shrimp large CUC Two large duncans (multi-heads each) green torch (multi-heads) gold torch Acan echinata multiple zoa's one lobo one piece of sps (just aquired two weeks ago) If anyone knows of any great guides that would be awesome! If you want to take the time to put a step by step that would be great too, but I understand that is a tall order. I'm only moving about 25 blocks here in manhattan so its not a huge move but it is a move none the less. I spoke with my LFS and they quoted me a very hefty price to do this move. Basically I could buy a new, larger tank for that price and I'd prefer not to do so. I'm ranting now...Thank you in advance.

10/12/2012, 05:51 AM	#2
bluewater921 Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: melbourne fla Posts: 605	if you can get some tubs or clean trash cans and put your water from the tank in there bag up your fish and corals but try to save about 80% of your water .. i would put my rock in the tubs or cans with your water .. leave the sand bed in the tank for the move .. your tank is not that big for a move like this .. leave your clean up crew in the tank if you can they will be fine .. they will think its low tide .. your fish and corals bagged up will last about 7 hours 24 if you air them up .. once you get set back up it would be like your doing a 20% water change ... then in 1 week do another water change you should be fine on the move GL .. __________________ if i was a fish i would play on the reef & swim in the surf Current Tank Info: 180 in the wall reef

10/12/2012, 09:33 AM	#4
Electrobes Montipora type guy Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 2,945	I just moved my 40Br from SC to FL (12 hours in the car). Not one death either! (w00t w00t!) I used new 5G buckets, and each had air bubblers (The emergency type). They did very well. Here are some differences between you and I... - I had a very shallow sandbed, and when I moved.. it's only there for decoration.. 20lbs in a 40Br, for perspective. If you keep your sandbed.. I would honestly do one of two things: 1) Remove all the livestock, water, etc.. and move the sand with the tank. This may end up being too heavy for you, or may put too much stress on a tank. 2) Remove the sand, and start fresh.. wash it out and place back into the tank. This is super not fun, but it's, to me, a safer alternative from recycling the tank too much, or if you have the sulfur zones that may leech out. - My rocks were structures... not loose rock. I am guessing you haven't studded, or cemented your rocks together? This makes it much harder for you to remember how it all goes together... in essence you'll have to re-aquascape. You might consider taking the chance now to make some structures... it makes like a lot easier and you can really get some fun shapes going! __________________ Christian Current Tank Info: 100G Half Cylinder

10/12/2012, 09:45 AM	#5
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	toss livestock into a few buckets or larger bowls, separated by those that can touch and those that can't. save a much water as you can. Put your rock in a bucket and fill it with tank water. That's the easy stuf The sandbed will take some work. I'd be hesitant to try to move the tank with the sand in the bottom. As mentioned above, it may be too much weight and it will get disturbed. You can siphon it out and wash it, dry it and reuse it or you can just start with new dry sand after the move. I've used washed and dried sand in the past with no issues, but it took forever to get it cleaned and ready. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

10/12/2012, 05:59 AM	#3
djbetterly Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 284	Well that sounds so easy on paper, but I fear its not so easy. Right now my live rock is resting on the glass, with the DSB surrounding the rock. If I remove the rock I'll disturb the sand bed. From everything I've read, disturbing a DSB is a huge no-no. Dealing with the DSB is probably my biggest concern. I've read everything from what is stated above, to saving only the top layer and replacing the deepest portions, to starting from scratch with an entirely new DSB. If I keep any of the DSB I'll probably have to run a diatom filter and possibly add some dénitrifying bacteria to prevent a huge ammonia spike. Just my thoughts so far...

10/12/2012, 09:48 AM	#6
LeslieP Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Waterford, CT Posts: 1,544	I just moved to a new house and put everything from the old 55g tank into a baby pool as a temporary home. First I set up the pool with some new salt water. I then bagged up the corals with lots of water and put them in buckets. I also moved the rocks in buckets, again with lots of the old tank water. These all moved to the baby pool. Then I drained out the rest of the water and pulled out the sand bed - nasty stuff, it was 12 yrs old! I'm going to start new with a shallow sand bed, but I suppose that you could wash out your sand and then set it up in the tank while your inhabitants are in the baby pool. Then move in your rock and finally your corals and fish once you are sure you didn't induce another cycle I didn't lose any fish and most of my corals made it through just fine. I did lose some SPS (it actually looks like some are coming back!) but I didn't have a light on the pool and it took me a couple of weeks to get everybody back in the tank. You may want to think about taking a few frags of your more sensitive/favorite corals to a friend that you trust. I brought a bunch of stuff to my work nano so I wasn't worried about losing too much. Good luck!

10/12/2012, 11:24 AM	#7
skykingcory Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portageville, MO Posts: 54	I did a move a few years ago with a 75 gal. Stirring up the sandbed knocked my tank on it's butt for a few months but pulled through with everything surviving. I would just try to keep stirring it to a minimum and reuse your old water. The water temp will drop pretty quickly by the time you take everything down too, so try to keep that in mind also.

10/12/2012, 11:43 AM	#8
jjk82901 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nazareth, PA Posts: 147	Just buy some live sand from a LFS when you're ready to setup again or cycle rinsed sand in a bucket and go barebottom for a week or two. Just check Nitrates and Ammonium prior to putting sand back in tank. 5 gallon painters buckets work great for moving.

10/13/2012, 12:13 AM	#10
SLOW1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 50	I have to add, make sure you have extra salt water on hand. I had to scramble to fine an extra 20 gallons at the last second. When I moved a few years ago I made up 50 gallons of new water. My system is about 110 total. I broke everything down. Coral, fish, and live rock in 4 different 20gal rubber made containers. Loaded that and everything in the bed of the truck. Off we went to the new place about 20 mins away. Fish and coral stayed in the buckets with heaters and powerheads for 3 days while the small sand storm in the tank went down. Put everything back in. Didn't lose any fish or coral. My bubble tip anemone wasn't very happy so he split and now I have two of them that sit right next to each other. One for each clow fish. Good luck with the move. Get friends to help and take the amout of time you think you need and double it.